As we gear up for the 2015 elections, it’s time for a Q&A with our President-Elect, Kristina Krasnov Miller!
Kristina Krasnov is a molecular biologist with a background in genetics, neuroscience, Russian, and health policy. During graduate school at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Kristina pursued numerous leadership activities including recruiting, community activism, and being President of the Graduate Student Association. Since completing her translational medicine studies of protein trafficking in the Cystic Fibrosis disease model, Kristina became a Technical Advisor in intellectual property law, pursued the National Academies’ Mirzayan Fellowship, and worked as a Senior Science Policy Analyst for a cancer nonprofit. She was also a contracting Senior Study Director for the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. Currently, Kristina is a Foreign Affairs Officer and AAAS Diplomacy Fellow at the U.S. Department of State, where she manages portfolios involving women in STEM; Europe, Russia, and Eurasia; and advancing public diplomacy through science. Starting in 2014, Kristina is President-Elect for the DC Chapter of the Association for Women in Science
What do you do?
As part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowship, I am a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State. In the Office of the Science & Technology Adviser to the Secretary (STAS), I am responsible for the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia portfolio; work on engaging with other countries using science diplomacy; and manage the women in STEM portfolio.
What is your science “story?”
I received my doctorate in Cellular & Molecular Medicine from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. My thesis focused on protein trafficking and determining why mutations at the same amino acid of CFTR cause varying degrees of disease severity in Cystic Fibrosis patients. My desire to pursue this specific graduate program originated because of its focus of benchside-to-bedside research. Since then, I realized my desire to influence the bigger picture of society and making an impact in lives through science policy.
Why did you decide to get involved with AWIS DC?
I wanted to advance women’s issues through this organization and meet some new like-minded colleagues.
What is one of your favorite things about AWIS DC?
The STEM breadth and professional diversity of our membership—at each event, I always find someone new and awesome with whom to chat.
What new program or event at AWIS DC do you like the most? Why?
Ireally like the Mentoring Circles Program because it provides an opportunity to get to know a terrific group of professional women at a personal level. Problem-solving together while sharing life and professional experiences builds a lasting network.
What do you hope you will help AWIS DC accomplish?
I want for AWIS-DC to organize more joint events. Our focus should be both the Bethesda and Baltimore chapters of AWIS as well as additional women in STEM organizations.
When did you fall in love with science?
I am fortunate enough to come from an extended familial history of STEM professionals featuring an engineer (grandma), mathematician (Dad), and 2 brothers in nuclear physics. Going into science was my destiny!